Blanca Like Snow

Chapter 22 - Mud War

       "Blanca, do you want to go at the front seat now that you don't have casts?" Sammy asks when we make it to the van. Will is already inside and Nora by my side, waiting for me as I just stare at Sammy holding the door open for me.

"What?"

"Yeah. You never go there and you're older than Nora," she reasons with a little shrug, as if that was the most natural thing to say. "Do you want to try? It's fun. You can control the radio."

"I um—"

"Sammy, don't you know princesses only travel in the back seat? She can't go next to the driver," Will says then, joining the conversation and wearing that grin of his. It used to be mocking before, now it's just teasing. I still scowl at him.

Nora is chuckling next to me, slightly shaking her head and I feel her hand around my arm. "Go, sit at the front for Sammy."

I turn to look at Nora as if she's betrayed me, but before I can say more, he's helping Sammy in the back and I'm alone standing outside. With a sigh, I climb and sit next to Will, but I fold my arms and make sure to sulk.

"Now, come on, you can't make that face when you have the privilege to sit front," Will teases as he buckles his seatbelt, but before he finishes, he releases it and then leans towards me.

My eyes widen as I see him approaching, but I don't move and then his right hand goes over me, to the door next to me and I press myself hard against the seat, trying to put distance between us, with a scream stuck in my throat as he is hovering my face. But he then grabs the seatbelt and pulls it, crossing it over my torso and buckling it. Only once he's properly back in his seat I release the scream I was holding, startling him.

"Oi! You didn't need to do that, just pointing it out was enough!" I yell, slapping his shoulder.

My heart is racing due to the surprise, and the rage I feel, which gets worse when I hear Nora bursting out loud at the back. I turn to glare at her.

"What's so funny, uh?" I demand to know, my glare ferocious.

"Your delayed scream and outraged expression," she replies, chuckling still and Sammy joins her. When I turn to look at Will, he's also grinning but he doesn't meet my eyes, he turns on the ignition and takes off.

I lean back on my seat back, glad I can fold my arms and put on a full and proper sulking face until we arrive to the Dream House.

"Do you need me to take your hand to get off?" Will asks when the engine stops and I huff indignant, unbuckling my seatbelt and getting off before he does, marching towards the house without waiting for them. Without my cast, I can actually stomp and it feels gratifying.

When I make it, Liam and Andy are outside, playing catch with the dogs and when they see me coming the smile brightly. After more than a month here, I get along with all the kids. It isn't hard when you realise they just want to be loved and they are all different and so special. They show their love in different ways and surely some have more trust issues than others, but they are all good kids.

"You're free!" Andy smiles, just like Sammy did. I can hear the little girl running to catch up with me, stopping by my side and grinning to the other boys.

"She's free! And can play with us now," she replies for me and I chuckle, ignoring my annoyance with Will and Nora that come some to stop behind us. "Are you going to play with us?"

"Chasing the pig?" Liam asks, looking so excited, it's funny because he's normally very cautious.

"Of course!" Sammy replies for me again, surprising me. Am I even ready to go running chasing a pig in the mud? And it's early December. Is it even reasonable to do this? "Will!" she then turns to shout to the boy that's almost caught up with us. "Can you get Dolly ready?"